Presentations Interviews and Meetings

Putting our best foot forwards is crucial if we want to maximise our opportunities. But all too often we create such intense pressure on ourselves to perform that we end up doing the exact opposite.

I speak from experience.

I once spent part of the night hiding in the toilets at an Institute of Directors meeting. On another occasion I alienated a whole conference room full of special needs teachers. I even set fire to my suit whilst trying to impress a new girlfriend with the totally inappropriate story of how I had accidentally set fire to my own underpants earlier in the day.

The reality is, that in each and every moment of our lives, we are what we are, and when we relax and act in accordance with our true selves we create the opportunities that best suit our way of being in the world.

That’s not to say you should not prepare. Preparation, done in the appropriate state of mind, and done systematically, does pay dividends. Some people seem to go through a process like this:

Imagine the worst thing that could happen.

Panic

Imagine experiencing this panic in the real situation

Now, paralysed with fear, begin to prepare your presentation or interview, unable to think clearly and ready to give up before you have even started.

Even those of us who manage to develop a strategy for staying calm do not always then think through what we are trying to achieve, whom we are seeking to influence or specifically, the message we wish to convey.

If any of this sounds familiar, fill in the contact form and book an appointment with me, Harvey Taylor, here in Bournemouth or call me on 07974 228396